DAY AND OVERNIGHT VISITORS

Those who want to practice in line with the Buddha’s teachings at the monastery can visit for the day or an overnight stay. They can request overnight accommodation as a guest to share in the lifestyle of the monastic community, as long as they are willing to follow the established monastic routines. Currently, we can only accommodate overnight stays for male visitors due to the limited facilities. We are working on creating opportunities for female visitors to stay and practice at the monastery.

Our policy at Sarasota Forest Monastery is that first-time guests are allowed to stay a maximum of three days (two nights). If your first stay goes well, you may request to stay longer when returning for a second visit. All guests staying at the monastery are expected to observe the eight precepts, including not eating food again after the main meal at 10:30 a.m. The guests are also required to help in the kitchen with food preparation and cleanup, as well as assist with the monastery's routine chores and occasional work encountered during the day. Generally, guests will have plenty of private time to focus on their studies and meditation, as there is no scheduled group practice during the day except on Sundays, when the weekly program runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

If you have a medical condition or other compelling reason to be exempted from having only one meal per day, please alert us to your situation in advance. Please also be advised that the food at the monastery is not vegetarian. The monks respect the generosity of all lay donors and do not refuse any food offerings. The food available to lay visitors is the same as what’s first offered to the monks. Because of that, the monastery is unable to accommodate strict vegetarian diets.

If you would like to come for an overnight visit, please call, write, or email to make a reservation. You should be prepared for the Forest-Tradition way of life, as there are no permanent structures, electricity, or piped water on the forested land. You can stay in a simple screened meditation hut or a tent pitched over an 8' x 8' platform. Each guest will have a private compost toilet and share the only public bathroom on the house property immediately adjacent to the forested land.

Generally, there is no need to inform us of a day visit unless you plan to talk to the monks. You can expect to meet the monks every day if you show up at the monastery around 10:30 a.m., the time when the monks accept meal offerings from the laity at the main building.

In keeping with our tradition, there is no charge for board, lodging, books, or teachings at Sarasota Forest Monastery. Everything is provided in the spirit of generosity by the monks and supporters of the monastery.